| Date of Birth | January 30, 1931 |
| Date Deceased | March 28, 2024 |
| Hometown | Almond |
| Home State | N.Y. |
| Service Date | April 13, 2024 |
| Service Time | 12 p.m. |
| Service Location | Almond Community Church |
| Interment Location | Woodlawn Cemetery, Almond |
Lillian Alice Guthrie Hanks
ALMOND – Lillian Alice Guthrie Hanks, 93, died Thursday, March 28, 2024 at the Hart Comfort House in Wellsville, NY.
Lillian was born January 30, 1931, in Hornell, NY the daughter of the late Thomas Francis Guthrie and Margaret Waugh Clark Guthrie.
Lillian was a life-long resident of the Hornell-Almond area and appreciated all that the community offered. She started school in Almond until her family moved to Hornell, where she graduated from Hornell High School in 1949.
She married Leon Hanks and together raised four children – Christine, Jennie, Martha, and Porter in Almond.
Lillian retired from Columbia Bank in Wellsville after a career in local banking. She was very active in the community, including Almond Library’s 21st Century Club and the Hornell Alumni Association. Lillian was a director for the Alfred Housing Committee, the Hart Comfort House, and the Almond Historical Society. She was a regular at the Historical Society’s Friday Open Hours and helped many people research their local roots.
Lillian was preceded in death by her husband, Leon; daughter, Martha; brothers, Tom, Norm, and Don, and sister Doris.
Surviving children are, Christine McCabe, Jennie Wright (John), and Porter Hanks. Also, four grandchildren, Michael McCabe, Cady McCarty (Chris), William Wright, Hannah Wright; two great-grandchildren, Evelyn, and Finnegan McCarty; many nieces and nephews, who referred to Lillian as their favorite aunt, and many close friends.
Lillian’s family sends their deepest thanks to the staff at the Hart Comfort House and all the family, friends, and medical professionals who supported Lillian during her illness.
A funeral service and celebration of Lillian’s life will be at 12:00 pm on Saturday, April 13, 2024 at the Almond Community Church, 11 Main St., Almond where Lillian had been a member for over 70 years and led a regular prayer group for over 30 years. Pastor Scott Dumond will officiate, and the Alfred State Alumni Jazz Choir will sing for Lillian.
The family will receive friends from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at the church prior to the service. A luncheon will follow the service. A private burial at Woodlawn Cemetery in Almond will occur later.
In lieu of flowers, Lillian requested that memorials be made to either the Hart Comfort House, 141 E. State St., Wellsville, NY 14895, the Almond Historical Society, 7 Main St., Almond, NY 14804 or the Almond Community Church, 11 Main St., Almond, NY 14804. Envelopes for memorial contributions will be available at the church.
The Bishop-Johnson & DeSanto Funeral Home, 285 Main St., Hornell is honored to assist Lilian’s family with the arrangements.
Online condolences or remembrances of Lillian are welcome below in the comment section or on the Facebook page of Bishop-Johnson & DeSanto Funeral Home.
You will be missed Lillian. My prayers for Chris, Jennie, Porter and the rest of the family. May all who knew and loved you find peace and comfort in their memories. I know I will. Love to all.
Mary Neville Libby
I am so shocked to hear about Lillian. I will miss our get together for lunch. You will surely be missed by many. I always enjoyed our notes to each other and our lunches together. It won’t be the same without you. My love and prayers to your family. Lydia Garippa Buza
You will be missed Aunt Lil. So many memories come to mind when I think of you. My thoughts and prayers are with Chris, Jennie, Porter and the rest of the family. God Bless. Nancy Hanks Ryan
I have so many fond memories of Lillian growing up and beyond. Watching her and Leon banter with his dry wit and her smiling response often with twinkling eyes catching my Mom’s. They had great times sitting around the campsite and talking about life. It made me realize that even when you have different opinions you can debate as friends and continue on as friends. Lillian was so creative and her knitting was incredible but, I think her greatest gift was friendship. Somehow, a group of women would gather regularly for friendship and fellowship, named themselves the Doo Dahs. These friends and especially Lillian continued to write my Mom long newsy letters long after moving from Almond. Her precious presence on this earth has knit love, laughter, and service into a family much larger than she probably was aware. We will miss her and are grateful for our memories of her and the family she tended.
So sorry to hear about Lillian. It was a pleasure working with her for many years at Columbia Banking in Alfred and Wellsville. I saw her after many years at my mother-in laws funeral and she looked great. She was a beautiful person inside and out. My thoughts are with you all.
My memories of Lillian go back over half a century. She was a gracious landlady for my apartment in
Alfred Station during graduate studies at Alfred University. It was always a pleasure banking with her at both the Alfred and Wellsville locations. Finally my chats with daughter Jennie were fun during the days she was a fine student at Alfred State College.
A long and productive life is a gift from God. We can assume that Lillian was one of His favorites. My sympathy goes out to her family and many friends.
Richard Kellogg
Aunt Lillian lived a full and glorious life always putting God and others ahead of herself. I have so many remembrances that she will always be with me. Due to other draws in my I will not be able to attend. May her family and friends be blessed in her passing to the great reward. Kevin